Updates

Scottish Green Party candidates and activists have a full diary of local events over the coming week as the general election campaign goes into its final three weeks, including the launch of the party's manifesto on Tuesday in Edinburgh. Greens will be using the party's successes at Holyrood and in local government to make the case for Scotland to send its first Green MPs to Westminster. The campaign will continue to highlight the need for a fairer and more sustainable economy, and for a cleanup of Westminster politics.

One kind of invitation I never refuse is to visit a school, for whatever reason, but particularly if it is to help raise a Green Flag or to discuss how to take environmental awareness forward. Colleges and Universities count as well! I have enjoyed my now yearly lecture to the Engineering students at Edinburgh University, my early lectures at Moray House, assisting at symposiums on Greening the Curriculum with Scottish Colleges and with the SQA, and even assisting at the launch two years ago of the new Masters Course in Carbon Management at the University of Edinburgh Business School.

The railways have a big part to play in reducing road congestion, lessening our dependence on fossil fuels and cutting greenhouse gas emissions from transport.

Personally, I have always regarded the train (a proper train that is, not a bus on rails) as by far the most civilised way to travel. So, for all these reasons, I am a strong supporter of the railways. I have campaigned for improvements to the rail network and train services for as long as I have been involved in politics.

The Scottish Green Party has welcomed confirmation that the general election is to be held on 6 May, and leading Green candidate Robin Harper has issued a challenge to General Election candidates of other parties to sign up to a Clean Campaign Pledge. According to the bookmakers, it is now odds-on that Green MPs will be elected for the first time in the UK. Candidates taking the pledge will commit to refrain from personal attacks, not to mislead the public about who is likely to win and to make only honest and reasonable promises.

The Scottish Parliament this Thursday voted by a clear majority against SNP plans for new coal-fired power stations, such as the one proposed at Hunterston, a project which Ministers have been promoting on the basis that up to a quarter of its carbon emissions would be captured and stored.

The advice to Scottish Ministers published today by the UK Climate Change Committee was rejected by the Scottish Green Party as a flawed and misguided effort which risks undermining the 42% climate target approved by the Scottish Parliament last year.

Following commitments given by Scottish Ministers on marine renewables and home insulation, the Green MSPs today voted not to block the Budget at Stage 1, and to seek agreement with Ministers on further improvements in these areas ahead of the final vote a fortnight today.